tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post7629173117199647102..comments2023-04-15T03:10:32.191-05:00Comments on VIEWS FROM MY SQUAD CAR: Getting Pulled OverOfficer Cynicalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04193271958353271282noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-8900439613537506532016-01-08T07:54:30.744-06:002016-01-08T07:54:30.744-06:00Thanks Officer Cynical - good advice!
This is kin...Thanks Officer Cynical - good advice!<br /><br />This is kind of niche advice, but I was thankful to learn it. I am hard of hearing and depend on lip reading to communicate - if there is a light in my face or I can't clearly see the officer's face, it will seem that I am not following the conversation or being uncooperative. And when you have a limited sense, further limits to that sense can cause a lot of anxiety ... which does not help me appear cool, calm and collected! It's also embarrassing to keep asking "what?" over and over again ... it does not set a good tone for the stop! LOL <br /><br />When visibility isn't an issue, I warn the officer that I am hard of hearing and depend on lip reading to communicate - once led to a roadside belly-laugh for the officer because I had been pulled over for a loud exhaust. I assured him that I was not going to use the hearing as an excuse for the exhaust, that even *I* could hear it. But i like to think that warning the officer makes the stop go better because they don't think I am a space case and I don't feel panicky about not being able to communicate.<br /><br />At night, I use a sign on the back of my visor - it tells the officer that I have a hearing impairment and that I rely on lip-reading for communication, so if it is difficult for me to see, I may need instructions or questions repeated - I just flip the visor over by the window, roll it all the way down and put my hands back at 10 and 2. A Deaf friend told me about using a sign like this after I was pulled over late one night and given a roadside sobriety test ... I hadn't been drinking, but I couldn't understand the officer. I was panicking and trying not to cry (it's scary when you can't communicate) and when I was out of the car it finally OCCURRED to me to tell the guy that I was hearing impaired. He had no way of knowing (you can't tell by my speech and I do not have visible hearing aids) and I was so jumpy I didn't think to mention it - it's part of me, like having brown hair and 10 toes. <br /><br />Using the sign helps - I have only been pulled over at night once since that happened and the officer commented on it and said it was a smart idea and that traffic stop went very smoothly. Usually I take pains not to mention my impairment - I don't need to hear the same corny jokes again and some helpful people will start exaggerating their speaking without realizing that it distorts their mouth and makes it harder to understand them! LOL But this is important. I like to make sure an officer has every reason to believe I am not someone he needs to worry about. And I would like to avoid further roadside sobriety tests ...Carolynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15729874208188899300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-63286510563413485232016-01-06T12:43:44.163-06:002016-01-06T12:43:44.163-06:00I might add, before reaching to get your license o...I might add, before reaching to get your license or registration, ask the officer if it is ok to do so and tell them in which part of the car you will be reachingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-36757151031638163912016-01-06T12:38:32.452-06:002016-01-06T12:38:32.452-06:00I've been driving a looooong time, and stopped...I've been driving a looooong time, and stopped a few times. Never ticketed.<br /><br />Once, the officer told me he was "on a fishing expedition"...it was 0600, in an area known for drug use/sales..sadly, this is right next to where I work. He quickly realized, after stopping me, that I wasn't what he was looking for.<br /><br />Another time, got stopped for going 50 in a 35. The speed limit in the area literally dropped by that 15 in less than a block. Officer who stopped me told me he hated the "damned transition right here"...I chuckled, agreed, and he let me go.<br /><br />I'm always polite, always friendly, and always end up driving away with nothing more than a "have a good day..." Maybe I've just been lucky, but I like to think it's because I try to apply the Golden Rule.<br /><br />That said, nearly lost my shit one time when stopped for not "properly signaling a lane change"...my first thought was whiskey.tango.foxtrot, but it didn't escape my lips. I sat there, rather bewildered because I had done no such thing. I'd seen the squad car behind me as I put on my blinker and changed lanes. This guy was having a bad day, though, and I swear he tried his damnedest to bait me into saying something stupid. Took a lot of restraint, but I didn't. In fact, I didn't say a word, except in response to his questions. And to them, I repeated I hadn't done what he sweared to be damned I did. I was as emotionless as possible.<br /><br />In the end, exasperated by my lack of argument, he flipped his book closed and just walked away. I admit I had a bit of a chuckle and head shake as I drove away. First time I've encountered that kind of policeman, and I hope it's the last.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-56627949023034192312016-01-05T07:09:43.778-06:002016-01-05T07:09:43.778-06:00basics of car driving are important to learn.<a href="http://www.cartrapped.com/the-abcs-of-car-care-for-new-drivers/" rel="nofollow">basics of car driving</a> are important to learn.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691566033997671584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-44449278506721193142016-01-04T20:14:54.911-06:002016-01-04T20:14:54.911-06:00Clearly there are more than two readers. I appreci...Clearly there are more than two readers. I appreciate the advise to not worry about the registration until after the officer asks for it -- I'd never thought about the officer getting nervous over what might be in my glovebox.Ken Rowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02740427410810311883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-9355840725756678432016-01-04T13:10:46.322-06:002016-01-04T13:10:46.322-06:00I have had many opportunities to practice and even...I have had many opportunities to practice and eventually perfect my role in a traffic stop--almost all have been at night and 99% of those stops were absolutely deserved:<br />-Yes, pulling over as soon as safely possible to stop is ideal, and if possible to exit the freeway, do so--the Highway Patrol officers always appreciated that when I did it;<br />-Windows fully rolled down;<br />-Dome light is turned on;<br />-vehicle was fully stopped and the transmission was placed in park;<br />-Engine was turned off;<br />-The key was removed from the ignition and placed on the dash in plain sight; <br />-The seatbelt remained fastened until told otherwise; and<br />-My hands remained on the steering wheel at the 11 & 1 position(s) with fingers splayed open until directed otherwise.<br /><br />Most of the time the officer or officers complimented my actions and I was allowed to leave with a warning--often, after a short conversation that was cordial on their part when I did not really deserve that break. <br /><br />Ofc. C--you are correct, that the attitude and tone of the driver typically steers the direction/outcome of the stop. Anytime I acted like an @sshole or a smart-@ss or a d*ck-hole to the officer or officers, well, I received a ticket or multiple tickets.Jive Talkin Toolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15022177957955636933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-42632047798885103182016-01-04T12:07:16.941-06:002016-01-04T12:07:16.941-06:00Thank-you for giving us your words of wisdom on th...Thank-you for giving us your words of wisdom on this issue. I have very few encounters with the Men in Blue, but when I do I want to know what is expected of me. I will assume getting out the registration information is a carry over from when squad cars didn't have plate readers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-84572662663351270292016-01-04T11:43:56.238-06:002016-01-04T11:43:56.238-06:00Question from your third reader(and I know my wife...Question from your third reader(and I know my wife reads you, so she's the fourth): Once the officer has come up to my car window, sees that my hands are clearly in sight, with my license out, is it okay to ask if I can unbuckle my seat belt to get my insurance card from my glove compartment, where I keep it, along with all other auto related paperwork?<br />Being overweight, I have difficulty reaching the glove compartment with the belt on, but I don't want to get an added ticket for not wearing the seatbelt. I got tagged on that a few years back; the officer wanted to see the card, but didn't want me to unfasten the seat belt. When I did so, he wrote me up for that and the speeding that I was doing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-58915217309904082182016-01-04T11:11:51.638-06:002016-01-04T11:11:51.638-06:00Your other reader says thanks.Your other reader says thanks.Jonohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18170214396483091419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226838436148080722.post-60125528122829984012016-01-04T08:21:42.999-06:002016-01-04T08:21:42.999-06:00This is helpful. Thanks for taking the time to wr...This is helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write it.Heidihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02895701260577103928noreply@blogger.com